As senior Israeli and Palestinian officials are meeting to discuss
confidence-building measures between the two sides, Israel on Tuesday
opened the Rafah crossing, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The crossing was closed to passage to and from Egypt following a
deadly attack on an IDF post, which cost the lives of five Israeli
soldiers. Palestinians have since then pleaded with Israel to reopen
the border crossing.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz announced Monday night that Israel also
intends to soon reopen the Erez crossing, in the northern Gaza Strip.

Gaza´s third crossing, Karni, which was also the scene of a recent
deadly attack, would remain closed for the time being.

In a meeting with top PA security advisor Muhammad Dahlan Monday
night, Mofaz
stressed that any progress in the West Bank - including a possible
handover of West Bank cities - would be directly connected to the
situation in the Gaza Strip.

"Deploying troops on the ground is one thing, but to act [against
terror] is another. I expect you to do what is necessary, now is the
time for actions on the ground," Mofaz told Dahlan.

For the second time in three days, Mofaz and Dahlan mulled over the
final preparations for the transfer of Ramallah, Tulkarm, Kalkilya,
Bethlehem and Jericho to Palestinian security control.

During the meeting, Mofaz told Dahlan that the deployment of PA
forces in Gaza was insufficient. We demand, the defense minister
stressed, that you also take action against the terror squads. Any
progress in negotiations with the Palestinians, he said, depends on
cessation of terrorism and security calm.

Mofaz demanded to know how the PA intended to deal with the mortar
shell and Kassam fire. He insisted upon immediate and unilateral
action by the PA, and stressed that there were still terrorist cells
that continue to fire missiles at Israeli targets.

The defense minister demanded the PA to take action on several
fronts. First, a committed crackdown on terrorist infrastructure in
Gaza, in addition to a cessation of terror, which would include all
groups, including the small ones; rounding up and interrogating
suspected terrorists; and collecting illegal arms and shutting down
arms manufacturing factories.

The two discussed the release of Palestinian security prisoners that
may occur before a meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas scheduled for next week.

Israeli security officials, however, said the demand to release
prisoners is highly unlikely to be met. "Up until now the release of
security prisoners has been in accordance with a cabinet decision
that stipulates that no one with blood on their hands will be freed.
All those terrorists tried in Israel and serving life sentences or
long prison terms for their involvement in the murder of Israelis
will remain behind bars, not only the defense establishment but also
the Shin Bet support this," an official said.

According to Prison Service officials, of the 4250 security prisoners
detained in its facilities, 70% "have blood on their hands."
Currently there are 4428 security detainees incarcerated in military
facilities.

Mofaz and Dahlan also spoke of confidence-building measures,
including easing up the travel restrictions in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip.

Before the meeting, a senior security official said that the handover
of security control in West Bank cities would be gradual and not all
at once.

The meeting between Mofaz and Dahlan took place a day after sporadic
violence erupted in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. After days of
relative calm, a barrage of eight mortar shells was fired at
settlements in Gush Katif on Monday afternoon. Five were fired at
Neveh Dekalim and another three at other settlements.

No one was injured but a house sustained damage in Neveh Dekalim, the
largest community in the Gush Katif settlement bloc.

Sarit Cohen said her family was about to sit down and eat when a
shell penetrated the roof exploding inside. "Luckily the shell
exploded inside the roof and no one was wounded," she told reporters.

Hamas claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they were in
response to the shooting of a Palestinian girl earlier Monday.